Title: Announcing the End of the World VWord Count: 200Fandom: Criminal MindsChallenge #102: give me the microphone

A man and boy separated from the group and approached the fence. Oz approached from the inside. Once they were close enough, he used the bullhorn again. “THERE’S WATER BESIDE YOU. DRINK IT.”

The man drank first and waited to check for poisons. Then he gave it to his son (Oz could smell the blood relation from his position). Neither one smelled of supernatural, but they would have found it odd if Oz hadn’t tested them.

Oz came close enough to forgo the bullhorn. “Who were you before?”

“We were an FBI unit that tracked serial offenders.”

The boy looked proud at his father’s old profession. Oz trusted his gut. “Come in. The others can come in after they drink the Holy Water.”

The rest of the man’s team stepped forward. “I’m Aaron Hotchner,” he said. “And this is my son, Jack. Our group includes JJ, Will and Henry.” Oz nodded to each of the family: mother, father, son. “Derrik Morgan and Penelope Garcia.” The blonde woman kept close to the African American, despite the fact he had a permanently injured arm. “Spencer Reid and David Rossi.”

Oz shook their hands. “It’s safe inside.”

“Who are you?” Garcia asked.

“Oz.”

tthdrabbles

Title: Announcing the End of the World VIWord Count: 100Fandom: Criminal MindsBeta Challenge #2011-02: slimy

Hotch profiled the stranger out of habit. Oz was small and silent. His words were measured and his eyes were sharp. He didn’t seem overly interested in the children, but he was pleased to see them. The BAU had identified a slimy member of the old enclave as a pedophile. When Spencer had exposed the man’s true proclivities, the enclave had killed the pedophile despite his father’s high position in the group’s hierarchy. The pedophile’s father had caused problems for Spencer.

Yet another reason they left.

Hotch watched Oz watch each person drink the water.

This place would be better.

tthdrabbles

Title: Announcing the End of the World VIIWord Count: 100Fandom: Criminal MindsBeta Challenge #2011-02: slimy

All of Hotchner’s team passed the Holy Water test, as expected. Oz led the way through the chain link fence and then turned to watch the team pass this test. It was a little more involved. The ward was specially designed to keep nasties out, but to allow Oz and people that didn’t have hurtful intentions in. The ward judged the heart and left the recipient’s skin feeling weird.

Hotchner barely shivered as he met the ward; Morgan, Rossi and to a lesser extent JJ and Will did the same. The children started crying.

Garcia squealed. “Oh, I’ve been slimed.”

tthdrabbles

Title: Announcing the End of the World VIIIWord Count: 100Fandom: Criminal Minds

Rossi kept his voice deliberately calm. “What was that?”

“Ward,” was Oz’s simple response.

Spencer, ever in the search for more knowledge, took over the conversation. “Where did you learn that?”

“England.” No more information was offered.

“Why’d you put up the ward,” Morgan asked.

“Haven’t been here long enough for a threshold.”

Hotch wondered if the extra words indicated a lie. They most certainly indicated an omission. Oz simply didn’t speak enough to tell them everything.

“Can you teach me how to… put up wards, please?” Spencer asked.

“S’pose.”

With Oz’s economy of words, those lessons would be amusing.

tthdrabbles

Title: Announcing the End of the World IXWord Count: 200Fandom: Criminal Minds

Oz led the BAU into the tiny kitchen area, where many skittish kids milled. They stopped and stared at Jack and Henry. They watched Oz for clues. The oldest of the kids -probably six- was standing on a chair next to the stove, stirring a pot of spaghettios. A five year old set out bowls, plates, forks and spoons. There weren’t enough place settings for everyone to get the same, but no one would have to share or wait. The younger children were under the table, playing. Spencer stepped too close and little ones went running –or toddling- to Oz for safety.

One didn’t need to be a profiler to see the trauma in their eyes.

Oz directed them to the table and started passing out bowls/plates of food.

“Feed the children first,” Rossi insisted as he waved away a bowl.

Oz nodded to the children and they sat on the floor directly in front of the cupboards. Oz would fill the bowl and stick in a spoon and hand it to the nearest child. The child would pass it along until the end of the line. Jack and Henry joined the group easily and Hotch thought ‘this could work.’